by Frank Salive, for Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — When the Preferred Pace at Western Fair goes to the gate in Monday’s (May 7) ninth race, Buckeye One can begin to prove he is again one of the co-favorites for the C$250,000 Molson Pace. The London track’s signature annual race will stage the eliminations on May 25, with the final set for June 1.

In 2006, the 6-year-old gelding sired by former Molson Pace winner Park Place had his best career year to date and put $464,840 on his card for Ontario owners John Fielding and Ian Fromowitz. Under the management of Brett Robinson, Buckeye One stepped to a remarkable 1:48.1 life’s mark on July 29, 2006 at Mohawk Racetrack shortly after finishing third in last year’s Molson Pace to Our Lucky Killean and pulling off a 31-1 upset over Ponder in the 2006 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park. His life’s mark still stands as the fastest in Mohawk history dating to the track’s opening in April of 1963.

In London, Buckeye One stepped into the track records chart with a 1:53 win on May 20, 2005 in a Molson Pace elimination. He hasn’t yet tasted victory in the big dance in London but indications are growing this could be his year.

Monday will mark just his second start of 2007 after a five month winter holiday. In his comeback race on April 28 at Woodbine he finished seventh in the Open Pace but got in a useful outing just the same as brushed his own back half in :54.2.

Western Fair Race Secretary and General Manager Ian Fleming has ordered Buckeye One to start on the outside in the field of seven for the May 7 Preferred Pace, and Brad Forward has drawn the driving assignment.

The other 2007 Molson Pace eligible in the field, Dreamfair Vogel, will start in post three.

On the undercard Monday in London is the C$15,200 Mares Preferred Pace in the 10th race. Trainer Jim Koelln sends in Promisemeaprincess from post three as the 5-2 morning line favorite with Trevor Henry named to drive.

Cullen reflects on 5,000 win milestone

According to driver Al Cullen it’s a long, long way from the Manitoba Fair Circuit to amassing 5,000 lifetime winning drives and almost C$19 million in purses while being based in Ontario. He achieved the driving plateau last week.

“I still have great memories of those early races in my career from the 1980’s as I was growing up in Wawanesa, Manitoba,” Cullen says. “In 1989 while I was at Assinaboia Downs one day I tied a record held by Herve Filion for eight wins on a single program. What I also remember was that the wind chill was 45 below zero in Winnipeg and I’m not sure I’d be keen to go racing in that kind of weather ever again.”

In recent decades Cullen has been a driving colony mainstay at Windsor, Dresden, Woodstock, Hiawatha, and Western Fair. One of the horses he’s enjoyed the most over his career is Armbro Warranty. That pacer carried him to a 1:53.4 front end score last Monday in London’s top class and on May 7 he’ll seek a repeat against Molson Pace eligibles Buckeye One and Dreamfair Vogel.

“Armbro Warranty I’ve loved since he was a 2-year-old,” Cullen says. “He’s a really tough horse and he just keeps coming back for more. A few weeks ago Fred Logan returned from wintering in Georgia and re-assumed the training of Warranty. He’s got the key to him and I’m the lucky guy that gets to drive him,” Cullen said of the 38-time career winner of over $438,000. Cullen also says he has three broodmares of his own and plans are in the works to breed all three to Armbro Warranty.

Cullen says as he approaches his 45th birthday on August 2 he’s making changes in the personal and practical aspects of his life which he feels can make him even more successful.

“My partner Pauline Stanczuk and I getting ready to move away from Windsor and we’re shopping for a home in the London-Woodstock area,” Cullen says.

“Pauline has applied for work in the auto industry up that way at the new Toyota plants in Woodstock and things are looking promising. I’ve also started to take better care of myself and cut out some of the bad habits a lot of us guys went through when we were younger. I think my competitive drive and focus is better right now than it’s ever been. I’m more optimistic about the future now than I have been in the recent past,” he says.

In the Ontario region drivers’ title night at Western Fair on April 27, Cullen made a fine account of himself and finished fifth in the nine-driver competition.

“I’d won a drivers’ competition in Toronto at the former Greenwood Raceway close to 20 years ago and surprised a lot of people, including myself, back then,” Cullen recalls. “That Ontario drivers championship was a great night for us drivers and the racing fans. With a break here or there any of us could’ve won it, and I’m happy for Mario (Baillargeon) and Paul (MacKenzie). If I ever earn the privilege to go into a drivers’ competition ever again — count me in,” he added.

Bud is back

Canadian Horseracing Hall of Fame member William ‘Bud’ Fritz wasted no time getting to the winners’ circle after making up his mind to return to the racing wars for 2007. He won his first training and driving start of the year last Friday night at Western Fair.

The Walkerton, Ontario resident is also the owner of the promising looking 3-year-old Grinfromeartoear-Miss Barbara Ellen colt Barbrasboy, who easily topped his maiden class foes in his season’s debut.

Undefeated streaks go on the line

Two horses with six race undefeated streaks put it all on the line again on the Monday and Tuesday cards at Western Fair.

In Monday’s sixth race, a conditioned pace for a C$10,000 purse, Shadywood Baron goes out in search of his seventh straight win of 2007 at Western Fair.

The Rambaran-Taylor Kate 4-year-old homebred gelding races for Betty Ellis of Essex, Ontario. Jim Ellis is the trainer and Jason Brewer has been hired back to drive.

On the Tuesday, May 8 card at Western Fair, 4-year-old trotting mare Honeydew Express also goes out in search of a seventh consecutive win for 2007 in London. The Bennett Express-Hailey Seelster homebred is also trained by her owner-breeder Blake Bennett of Belmont, Ontario. In her last start she stepped to a 2:02.2 life’s mark and Don McElroy is hired back again this time.

Monday and Tuesday afternoon post time at Western Fair is 4:05 p.m. Friday night programs turn to the gate at 7:35 p.m. The current meet at Western Fair concludes on June 29 and the final seven weeks of racing will include the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold and Grassroots Series, the Trillium and City of London Series, and the 2007 Molson Pace.